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Rhythms of Faith
Liturgical Theology with Joris Geldhof
Ep. 14
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In the Introduction, hosts JJ and Kim welcome Dr. Joris Geldhof, a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, to the Rhythms of Faith Podcast. In What Makes Liturgy Fascinating, Dr. Geldhof explains that liturgy captivates him because it brings together beauty, truth, goodness, scripture, history, and anthropology — all converging in an act of worship that he describes as almost miraculous and deeply personal. The conversation turns to What Makes Art Timeless and The Ghent Altarpiece, where Dr. Geldhof argues that timelessness means being "iconic" — the art looks back at you — and contextually independent, drawing on his deep personal connection to the Van Eyck masterpiece, which he reads as a unified theological narrative of salvation rather than a collection of striking elements. In Liturgical Art vs. Non-Liturgical Art and Art, Economy & Culture, the group explores how even Brahms' First Symphony can point toward the sacred res, and how Van Eyck's pre-modern integration of artistry, economics, diplomacy, and faith challenges our romanticized modern notion of "art for art's sake." Addressing Challenges in Liturgical Theology Today, Dr. Geldhof identifies both internal methodological struggles (convincing colleagues that worship precedes doctrine) and an external one: rejecting a "victimist" view of liturgy in favor of seeing it as a powerful engine of constructive critique of culture, politics, and economy. The episode closes with What Is Liturgical Participation? — defined by Dr. Geldhof as being taken up into God's mystery of love through the Holy Spirit, a profound theological truth rather than merely a pastoral program — before closing with The Animal Question. Dr. Geldhof reveals that if he were an animal, he would choose to be a whale — solitary, deep-dwelling, quietly mysterious, and drawn always toward depth.
- Introduction — 0:00
- What Makes Liturgy Fascinating — 0:23
- What Makes Art Timeless — 2:13
- The Ghent Altarpiece — 7:01
- Liturgical Art vs. Non-Liturgical Art — 10:50
- Art, Economy & Culture — 24:08
- Challenges in Liturgical Theology Today — 31:57
- What Is Liturgical Participation? — 37:14
- Closing: The Animal Question — 38:55
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